49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday that part of the reason running back Christian McCaffrey sat out Monday night’s game against the Jets was because it was the first week of the regular season.
McCaffrey was inactive for the game after saying last week that he had no doubt that his calf and Achilles would be feeling well enough for him to play in the season opener. Shanahan said after the win that McCaffrey was dealing with “a little too much” to get on the field and the team “thought it was gonna be smart to keep him out.”
On a Tuesday conference call, Shanahan said, via multiple reporters, that the decision would have been different if it were a playoff game and that McCaffrey would have been active in that case. Shanahan also said that McCaffrey is dealing with Achilles tendinitis that can be a bigger issue at some times than others.
Shanahan called McCaffrey day-to-day this week, so another game-time call after a questionable listing could be in the cards for Week Two.